Craig Rice

Councilmember

About Craig

Craig Rice was first elected to the County Council in November 2010, becoming the youngest African American ever to serve on the nine-member Council and only the second African American man to serve in that role. In December 2013, his colleagues elected him to a one-year term as president of the Council. In November 2014, he was re-elected to a second four-year term on the Council.

Craig’s commitment to public service included serving as a member of the House of Delegates in the Maryland General Assembly from 2006 until 2010, where he was on the legislative body’s prestigious and influential Ways and Means Committee.

In 2010, he won the election as the District 2 representative on the County Council. A resident of Germantown, he represents the sprawling Up-County region of Montgomery County’s most geographically diverse district, as well as its fastest growing. Craig represents some of the County’s most rural communities, including Damascus, Boyds and Hyattstown. However, with Germantown and Clarksburg in District 2, he also represents two of the most booming regions in Maryland. The district also includes Montgomery Village and part of North Potomac.

Craig chairs the Council’s Education Committee and also serves on its Health and Human Services Committee. In addition, he serves as the Council’s representative to the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) in Annapolis, chairs MACo's Education Sub-Committee, and is currently President of the MACo Diversity Caucus. Craig chaired the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Chesapeake Bay and Water Resources Policy Committee until 2017, and continues to serve on the committee.

In September 2016, Craig was named to the Maryland Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education. This commission will lead the first major review of education funding in the state since the Thornton Commission’s review more than a decade ago.

Spotlighted Accomplishments:

Craig was the lead sponsor of Bill 21-12 in 2012 that prohibits the use and sale of certain coal-tar products that are generally used as sealants on driveways. Passage of the legislation made Montgomery the first county in Maryland, and one of the largest counties in the nation, to prohibit the sale of the sealants, which have been recognized to contaminate soils, lakes and homes as they disintegrate and run off after application.

Craig was the lead sponsor of Bill 48-14 in 2015 that helped advance firms owned by minorities, females and disabled persons to become prime contractors with the County for certain types of contracts. The bill allows creation of an evaluation factor that gives additional points to those firms when the County is evaluating proposals for contracts.

Craig was the lead sponsor of Bill 31-15 requiring radon testing to be done in single-family homes prior to sale, making Montgomery County one of the first jurisdictions in the nation that require such testing. Radon is prevalent in the County and high levels can pose significant health risks.

In 2015, 2016 and 2017, Craig organized a series of Education Budget Forums throughout the County, along with leaders from Montgomery County Public Schools and Montgomery College, to talk about the County’s budget process as it relates to education funding.

A lifelong resident of Montgomery County, Craig attended Montgomery County Public Schools, graduating from Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring. He went on to the University of Illinois, majoring in Aerospace Engineering. Later he transferred to the University of Maryland, where he graduated with a major in Computer Science.

Craig’s interest in seeing the County improve its economic development strategies stems from his background of having worked with Fortune 500 companies including Marriott International and Aramark Corporation. He also served as a business development manager for the government of Puerto Rico.

Craig and wife Tia married in 2000. He is the father of two daughters, Anaiya and Caelyn, and a son, Alex. In their spare time, the Rice family enjoys hikes through Seneca Creek State Park, fishing, skiing, snowboarding and bowling.

Positions:

Member of the Council’s Health and Human Services Committee (December 2010 – present)

Chair of the Council’s Education Committee (December 2013 – present)

Council President (December 2013 – December 2014)

Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) representative for Montgomery County

Chair of Education Committee (2015 – present)

President of the Diversity Caucus (2017 - present)

Serves on the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Chesapeake Bay and Water Resources Policy Committee (2015 – present)

Member of the Maryland Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education (2016 – present)

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